Hello Everyone!
Friendly reminder that our student recital is scheduled for next Sunday, May 4th at 1:30pm. It would be so great if all of you could attend even if you are not performing!
Noreet:
I hope you are having a fabulous time in Europe!
Vida:
For this week, please have Vida practice Rhino in the Mud! This is a great option for the recital. Help Vida record herself playing the song so she can hear, then ask her what specifically she likes about what she is doing and if there are any areas she wants to improve upon or change. Also, talk to her about the recital. Please remind her that “performance” is a skill on its own and requires practice as well. The recital would be a great chance to practice performing for an audience. The deadline to sign up is this Tuesday, if Vida does decide she want to perform, feel free to reach out to me via opus and I will add her name to the list. Continue to practice Mr. McGill’s Boop Sha Bop. Encourage Vida to use the metronome to ensure her eighth notes are “balanced” and stay in tempo. Vida should also use the second note in bars 10-12 and 14 as a “launchpad” to the next set of eighth notes. We will talk more about this in class next week. I’ve also uploaded a video of a rhythm exercise to the google drive for Vida to practice. With one hand, Vida is to tap quarter notes and with her left hand tap eighth notes at the same time. We tried this in class together, (its very much like rubbing your tummy and patting your head at the same time). Try this at different tempos so Vida can feel how the eighth notes fit into the quarter note. Please help Vida to sight-read more of Under the Sea before reviewing the material she played for me in class. Aim to read and practice at least 4 new bars so that Vida can add on to what she has already learned. You can find the video of the rhythm exercise here.
Eva:
This week we sight-read the second phrase of Sailing in the Sun! Please help Eva review these notes at home and encourage her to play this phrase for you! You can also take turns reading and playing. Have Eva name the notes as you play them then switch and help Eva name the notes as she plays. When she feels confident playing the second phrase, challenge her to play both the first phrase and second phrase together. Eva can also finish the colouring sheet I sent home. Have her assign a colour to each note, then ask her to find that specific note for that chosen colour e.x colour each F Green! The notes on the colouring sheet are identical to Sailing in the Sun, feel free to use the music in the book for reference and clarification if needed as I know Emma’s writing can be messy.
Christian:
This week please practice forming and playing the chords in your left hand for the first 8 bars of How Long Will I Love You. Also, sight-read as much as of the right hand in the 3rd phrase as you can on your own. When practicing the chords in the right hand at the beginning, focus on connecting each chord, with or without the roll. Use the metronome to ensure you are holing the chords for their full length. When practicing Morning, isolate any areas where you are pausing or are unsure of the notes. Practice these areas and bars on their own before connecting them back into the rest of the song. Work towards playing the whole song smoothly from start to finish by practicing at a slow tempo and slowly getting faster with each repetition. You can use the metronome for this if you find that helpful.
Thank you everyone for your hard work this week! I’ve seen some exciting improvements across all lessons. Keep up the great work!